Clamping device



Sept- 1 1959 R. LAPsLEY v 2,902,246

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Deo. 23, 1955 /v Fim ATTY.

illice CLAMPING DEVICE Robert Lapsley, auchanan, sMich., f assignor to Clark Equipment Company,;a .corporation-of Michigan Application December 23,v 1955,*Serial No. 55,5,"140

Y3. Claims. :;(Cl. "24S-e361) The present invention relates generally :.to freight handling meansand. devicesvr ,in i'which .a :portable freight carrierl is 'associated and :disassociatedvrwith freighttransporting-devices. sPartieularly/,the present invention concernsan improved clamping means forlxingsuch a portable freight; carrier; Ato thelsupporlting ;surface;-.provided :by ai freight;transportinggdevice, ksu'chyas a ship orilike vessel. l

Y Generally, `the present l invention -relates to :the portable freighthandlingandetransporting devices and systems set forth in the copending-,application .Serial No.- 577,118, filed. April 9,y l956,i n;the name of,` I ack E. Loomis anld entitled Freightgllandling Means "and Method, and which,applicationiisgawontinuationfin-part of application Serial N'o.531,489f;l ed August '30,1955, now abandoned. E'Eurther, fthe present invention Vcomprises Van improvement-over thegflaterpled :application Serial No. 555,025, filed on; Deeember,j23,1955,gin1the name vof I ack -E Loomis and Dale W. McKee, entitled Clamping Means. 'The above applications f are commonly owned by thelassignee lof .the instant application.

AIn brief,the present'.-invention`isdirected to au4 improved-means for clamping, latching yor otherwiseaixing avport'able freight carrier to the supportingsurface provided by the deck .of a ship. .Ingeneral, thel portable freight carrier maybe. thought of Aas asupportingl base structure ycarrying a suitable receptacle forthe storage `and transportation of A articles ,of freight. Normally, such la portable freight carrierV is lifted land deposited'or otherwise transported from la loading dock or like location to the decking ofthe ship as. by a crane hoist or other suitable materialihandling equipment.

The `present invention comprises a' suitable clamp member pivotally mounted adjacent an opening 4in a supporting deckofav ship so thatthesame may beselectively moved tor a projecting position above said -deck for engaging a bearing surface on aportable freight-carrief depositedy thereover. Suitable guide means are embodied in conjunction with the clamp membery for-protecting and housing the clamp member and for :guiding the kportable freight carrier into Ia desired position ywhereat the same. may be effectively engaged and held bythe clamping device of this invention. An improvedlocking device is included formaintaining they clamp in its engaged condition -with the freight carrierandadditional means are provided for disengaging the locking device whereby the clamp may be released-.preparatory tothe latters removal fromy the. freightl transporting device.

The main object` of my invention is toprovide al new andimprovedclamping device for securing aportable freight carrier to the supporting surface -of a freight transporting device, as for example to the decking of a ship.

Agfurther object .ofuthis,invention` is to provide a new and improved;manually.operable. clamping device for locking a portable freight carrier to a supporting surface of a freight transporting device.

A still additional object of this invention is .to provide United States Patent l2 arnewi and improved'clampingtdevice, as aforementioned, in which -improvedr-mcans;.arel embodiedV for maintaining Such clarr1ping=-fdevicetin' alocked condition -:with respect lto aportable freight caiIrieL-means. v

-`Another object; :ofV this sinventionis. to provide a new and improved clampingzdevice for the purpose-anduses as aforementioned, :in .whichanrimproved locking mechanism is embodied;V accessible :forr operation from beneath lthe supportingz-surfacem afreight transporting fdevice.

-Astill furthereobject-:off thisinvention' is to provide a .newgand improved clamping devicefor the uses and purposesaforesaid;- .in lwhich alloekingdevice'is embodied to provide improved features :of operationaud "function whereby the clamp :memberffofzmy clampinglfdevice may be readily positioned to engage-:andffholdaportable freight-,carrier;onfit he supporting surface of a freight transportingdevice twith.I maximum operational convenrence.

T'I'heabove-.arid fu-ithevvobjectsgfeatures and advantages 0f this invention-wills appear: to. 'thosef familiar with vthe arti from, the followingdetailed'description Aand specification of a preferred embodiment of its conceptsfoundin the accompanyingidrawings. `f

yFigure' 1 is taapa'rtia'l.v crosssectionalview with parts therein shown inf'fullelevation?illustratingthe 'elements andv their-organization in the impfrovsadv clamping device of; this inventiongzand v Figure 1 :2 is .la :cross-.sectional f showing f taken substantially at line 2-2 of Figure -land looking in lthe-direction ofthe arrows. i w

/Asnshown bestf in? Figure 1,=af=portablefreight carrier, findicatedgenerally tbylsn'ume'ral 10, includes a ybase structurer llirwhch` supportsa'fffreight receptivel'body, shown partially lein this zgurenand-hindicated ygenerally by numeral 12. This, ,particular-type:offfreightf carrier'fiucludes vear imembersxadjacent its `upper end ywhich are-:designed to be engaged :1 by harness means f associated with a crane hoist: (notfshown) twher'eby "thesame -may"-be fdepolsited :on: the. :deckf13nof ai-ship ior: similar' freight transporting means.

:- It willl bei;understood! fthat ithe structure -of-thei freight earlier `10 f includes iside walls SI5 l :which V"form `the yeuclosureienfbody portion Z'the'refthe lowerends of such walls :being received 'inf-'reinforced channels formulated by spaced-walkl pontions 16 Iandf'Z :off-frame -or rail members 18..and a.' fleuri-supporting 'plate :19, respectively. The rails I8sandfoori support'lplate @ware-preferably welded or otherwise rigidlyla'xedto one' another according toflthe fabricated assembly illustratedv'in'cross-section Figurel 'Thefsupportingrplatelll isfurther angularly offsetftofpresent;inadtionto the upwardly extending wall; portion 1- 17 Sa" horizon-tal platform portion Y 20 which carries .'suitablefldecking or "flooring V21 comprisinglthe interior bottom 'ofi-.ther freight-carrierlf. Such extending platformrportionZF-is disposed inwardly of the rail'or frame memberiISfandis related substantially transversely tothe .f planefoffthe .v-upright-weby wall -22`on such rail. Walls' 22 and 16l 'offthefframe member I8 are interconnected by La transversely 'related' -wall orfplatform'section 23 4 which extends @beneath the carrier wall 21'5 between the lower-en`dfof the uprightwall portion 16 andthe upper end Vof the :imain -web 'f portion '-22 of the frame member 18. v n

While l the rcrosssectional Showing in 'Figure 1 illustrates 9only aportion {of fthe freight carrier, it will' be understood,l 'as is'emor'e-l fully; set out in= the.V above referred to application;Serial"No."53l,48'9, .thatthe basestructure 11 comprises. ,aVV substantially rectangular v.assembly includingfparallel d'end iframe l interconnecting transversely extending 'sideframefmembers 18.

The lower end ofthe wall portion. 22 is suitably turned inwardly to parallel the platform portion of the iloor supporting plate 19 thereby to present and define a lower platform portion .25.` The platform portion 25 is provided with an enlarged opening 26 and such serves as an immediate support for an overlying superimposed bearing plate 27. Bearing plate 27, like the platform portion 25, bears an enlarged opening.28 which is registeringly aligned with the opening 26 in operation.

When the freight carrier 10 is deposited on the supporting decking 13 of the vessel, a pair of improved clamping devices 30 of this invention project upwardly from the plane of such decking to enter correspondingly arranged pairs of spaced openings 26 and 28 to secure opposite sides of the base structure 11. Therefore, each carrier means so deposited on the deck of the ship or vessel will be gripped by at least two of the improved clamping devices 30 of this invention.

The decking 13 of the ship is supported .according to familiar ship-building practice and a between deck spacing is available beneath decking 13 for the successful operation of my improved clamping device;v such device being supported directly in the decking13 of the vessel and secured thereto as ,by welds31 or like fastening expedients.

It will be recognized also that generally, several improved sets of clamping means 30 of .this invention -may be associated with the decking 13 of the vessel in a manner to engage the base structure of plural freight carriers deposited on the deck. Such pairs of devices 30l serve 'A to guide the carriers into positionand engage the base structure thereon to clamp the same securely to the'supporting decking ofthe vessel.

Turning now to the particulars of the improved clamping device of my invention, it will be seen that such includes a guide means 35 formed as a substantially dome or pyramid-Shaped casting having a hollow interior deiining a chamber 36, which is entered at one side by a lateral opening 37 extending inwardly from the exterior of the casting and reaching upwardly a suitable distance above the plane of the bearing plate 27. The casting 35 further includes a pair of downwardly projecting or extending ear portions 38 which are `spaced .apart and extend outwardly beneath the chamber 36 substantially Aalong opposite sides of the opening 37 to provide bearing support for a substantially horizontal axle 40 on which a substantially C-shaped clamp member 41 is mounted for limited arcuate movement. It will be noted .further that the casting 35 sits Within'and extends through an opening 42 formed in the decking 13 of the vessel and that the ear portions 38 thereon extend beneath .such decking beyond the periphery of opening 42 whereat they are connected as by the welds 31. Thus secured to the decking 13, the major portion of the casting 35 projects upwardly from the upper face or supporting surface thereof to present a substantially pyramid-shaped guide or pilot means for receiving and properly aligning the bearing plate openings 28 of the freight carrier so that such plate is in position to be engaged by the clamp member 41, as will be described presently. The casting 35 further includes a second set of ear portions 43` which are formed on the opposite side thereof from the ear portion 38 and are aligned substantially opposite the lateral opening 37. Such ears 43, like ears 38, are spaced apart `and support a horizontal axle 44 therebetween for mounting a pivotally movable latching member or locklng device 45.

The improved clamp 41 ofmy invention, as stated, is pivotally supported on the axle 40 carried by the casting 35 and such clamp'member includes a iirst depending portion 46 bearing a cylindrical extension 47 which 1s coaxially receptive of an operating handle 48 comprising, for example, a' length of steel pipe. k

A second arm portion 49 of the clamp member 41 extends upwardly from the pivotal axle 40 to invade the hollow interior or dome-like chamber 36 in the casting 35. Such arm portion 49 includes a laterally extending clamping lip 50 which is designed to over-reach the bearing plate 27 and extend through the opening 37 in the one side of the casting 35 when the clamp member 41 is lpivotally moved to its yfull line position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. In such full line position, the clamping member 41 is located to prevent the passage of the bearing plate and thus the removal of the freight carrier from the freight transporting device.

It will be noted, in particular, that the arm portion 49 of the clamp member 41 is equipped with a suitable detent recess 51 adjacent its upper or outer end and substantially opposite the extending lip portion 50. Such detent recess is designed for engagement by a first arm portion 52 of the latching device 45, thereby to prevent clockwise rotation of the clamp 41. The arm portion 52 of the latching device is further equipped with a recess socket 53 substantially midway of its length for receiving one end of a compression coil spring 54 which is mounted between such arm 52 and the inside face of the casting 35; the same being piloted in said side wall of the casting as by recess means 55 formed therein. Spring 54 normally urges arm portion 52 into locking engagement with the recess 51. A second arm portion 58 is formed on the latching member 4S at approximate right angles to arm portion 52 so that in effect, the latching member 45 comprises a bell crank linkage, as shown best in Figure 2. The arm portion 58 is bifurcated adjacent its outer end to present a pair of spaced iingers 59, 59 which extend along opposite sides of the cylindrical extension 47 of the iirst arm portion 46 on the clamp member. Such lingers 59 are suitably curved or turned upwardly and are of4 such a length v-as to constantly embrace the cylindrical portion 47 of the clamp member.

It will be recognized further that in the operative position of the clamp member 41, as shown in Figure l, the disposition of the iingers 59 is in spaced relation with an enlarged cylindrical shoulder 60 presented at the intersection of the first arm portion 46 and the extending cylindrical portion 47 of the clamp member. This spacing permits limited pivoting of the latching member 45 about its pivot axle 44 so that the same may be moved abuttingly against the shoulder portion 6), as shown by the dotted lines in Figure l. The rocking activity of the latch member in this manner serves to compress spring 54 and release the iirst finger portion 52 thereon from the detent recess 51 of the clamp member. In this manner, the clamp 41 is released from a locked condition and thereby provides for the retraction of the extending clamp lip portion 50 from an overlying or engaging condition with respect to the bearing plate 27.

Particularly, the releasing operation of the latching vdevice 45 is effected simply by sliding the tubular operating handle 48 onto the cylindrical extension 47 of the clamp member and shoving the same upwardly to bias the finger portions 59 of the latch member into abutting engagement with the shoulder stop 60 on the clamp member. This compresses spring 54 and withdraws 52 from recess 51.

It is believed that fromy the foregoing description of the elements and operation of my improved clamping device, those familiar with the art will readily recognize and appreciate its improved features and concepts. It is further to be understood that while various changes, modiications and substitutions of equivalents may be made in the particular embodiment of my invention herein described `and shown, ncverthelesssuch alterations will not necessarily depart from the spirit and scope of my invention. As a consequence, itis not my intention to be limited to the specific form of my invention herein described and shown except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1.- A. .Clamping device Of the class described for securing a plate member to a supporting surface, the plate member having an opening formed therethrough, comprising in combination, a hollow `guide member extending upwardly from the supporting surface and presenting an exterior guide surface for piloting the guide member into the opening in the plate member, said guide member having a lateral opening formed in one side thereof, a clamp member pivotally mounted within the hollow of said guide member opposite said lateral opening, a detent recessformed in said clamp member, a spring biased latch member pivoted adjacent said clamp member and movable to engage and disengage said recess, an operating handle accessible beneath said plate member for pivoting said clamp member to an operating position wherein it extends through said lateral opening and projects outwardly of said guide member to interferingly overhang the plate member, said latch member when engaged with said recess serving to lock said clamp member in its said operating position to prevent disengagement of said plate and guide members, and means interlocking said handle and latch member to insure disengagement of said latch member from said recess conditional to pivoting said clamp member.

2. A clamping device of the class described for use in locking a portable freight carrier to the supporting surface of a freight transporting device, the carrier having a bearing plate provided with an opening, comprising, a dome-shaped guide member mounted on the transporting device and projecting upwardly from the supporting surface thereon for insertion into and through the opening in the bearing plate, said guide member having a lateral opening communicating with an internal chamber thereof, a clamp member pivotally mounted on said `guide member and having a first arm portion extending into said chamber, a second arm portion on said clamp member depending from said chamber, an operating handle adapted to be detachably mounted on said second arm portion and manually operable from beneath the supporting surface of the transporting device to pivot said clamp member, movement of said operating handle in one direction serving to pivot said clamp member appropriately to move its said first arm portion outwardly through said lateral opening to an interfering position preventing movement of said guide member through the opening in said bearing plate, and spring biased latch means engageable with said rst arm portion in response to detaching said operating handle from said second arm portion, thereby to lock said first arm portion in its said interfering position.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said rst arm portion is formed with a detent recess and said latch means comprises a bell crank linkage having one arm engageable with said detent recess and resiliently held therein by spring means, a second arm of said bell crank linkage being bifurcated adjacent its outer end to embrace the said second arm portion of said clamp member, said Second arm being engaged by said handle when the latter is mounted on said clamp member and pivotally moved thereby to Withdraw the said one arm from said recess, releasing said clamp member for pivotal movement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 917,379 Tayntor Apr. 6, 1909 1,355,925 Stone Oct. 19, 1920 2,031,302 Clark Feb. 18, 1936 2,128,005 Lombard Aug. 23, 1938 2,273,854 Fitch Feb. 24, 1942 2,381,633 Young Aug. 7, 1945 2,424,429 Bamberg July 22, 1947 2,426,498 Franklin Aug. 26, 1947 2,427,603 Higgins Sept. 16, 1947 

